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By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Memphis-based American Steamboat Company has bought the Empress of the North from the U.S. Maritime Administration and has renamed it American Express, a ship expected to resume sailings on the rivers of the Pacific Northwest by next April, with Portland, Ore., as its homeport. The line’s namesake boat, American Queen, is the largest overnight riverboat west of the Mississippi.

A U.S.-flagged riverboat, the American Empress is 360-feet long with five decks and can accommodate 223 guests in seven stateroom categories. It will sail the Columbia and Snake
rivers, with seven-day trips. It was built in 2002 and operated by Majestic America Line until 2008, sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage and the Pacific Northwest. For information and reservations, visit www.AQSC.com.